About Us

University of Florence

The Agricultural Biotechnology Department –DiBA (Dipartamento di Biotecnologie Agrarie) is part of the Plant Protection section of the University of Florence, one of the largest and most productive systems of the Italian public research.
The University of Florence traditionally pays special attention to the development of partnerships with foreign universities and in the process of internationalization. Since 1999 the EU has given to the university the recognition of “the European Pole of Excellence”. The DiBA was founded in January 2000 and is composed of almost 40 teachers and researchers, besides technicians, administrative personnel and PhD students, post-doctorate students and fellowship holders. Over the last few years, the experience of this research group has also increased through the aid of strong cooperation with national and international research groups.

University of Florence

The Agricultural Biotechnology Department –DiBA (Dipartamento di Biotecnologie Agrarie) is part of the Plant Protection section of the University of Florence, one of the largest and most productive systems of the Italian public research.
The University of Florence traditionally pays special attention to the development of partnerships with foreign universities and in the process of internationalization. Since 1999 the EU has given to the university the recognition of “the European Pole of Excellence”. The DiBA was founded in January 2000 and is composed of almost 40 teachers and researchers, besides technicians, administrative personnel and PhD students, post-doctorate students and fellowship holders. Over the last few years, the experience of this research group has also increased through the aid of strong cooperation with national and international research groups.

Mercier Groupe

Mercier grapevine nursery has been accumulating for more than 100 years a unique body of experience by providing winegrowers worldwide with vines of the highest quality. Presently, Mercier is the French leader in grafted vine production with 20 million plants produced per year, half of which being exported. The nursery is part of the Mercier Group, which constitutes a network of complementary businesses controlling the entire production cycle and thus being very responsive to customer demands. Its current objective is not only to keep its leadership, but also to increase its production by breaking into new markets.

Antonelli San Marco

Antonelli San Marco is a farming estate owned by the Antonelli family which produces wine and olive oil. It extends over an entire 170 hectares and is located centrally within Montefalco’s DOCG winemaking area. Its main activities are:
• organic cultivation of grapes (45 hectares) and production of organic wine;
• organic cultivation of olives (10 hectares) and production of organic extra virgin olive oil;
• grain crops and production of emmer wheat and chickpeas for example (70 hectares);
• wine tourism with accommodation in the family’s agritourism Casale Satriano, and a professional kitchen and dining room for cooking lessons and wine-pairing lunches and dinners.

Sediag

The main activity of SEDIAG is the production, development and marketing of reagents and diagnostic kits for various agricultural and biotechnological applications. Their list of customers includes public and private research laboratories, plant diagnostic analysis labs, plant quarantine stations, breeders, nurseries and food industries, in France (50%) and internationally. Their products are present worldwide thanks to their distributor network in more than 30 countries. SEDIAG offers laboratory testing services for rapid and reliable diagnostic assays in phytopathology and a large range of ELISA reagents and kits to detect the presence of major plant pathogens, especially in grapevines. Recently, SEDIAG proposed a new service of custom monoclonal antibody production.

Forsite Diagnostics

Forsite Diagnostics specialises in the contract manufacture of rapid immunoassays with a focus on the human healthcare, veterinary and agri-food sectors. Forsite was established in 2007 as a spin-out from a major UK government laboratory, and now has 14 staff. The company operates from state-of the art facilities in which are housed automated manufacturing equipment for lateral flow assays. Forsite has wide experience of working in national and international projects, and is currently active in four EU projects.
Alongside expertise in assay development and manufacture, Forsite has developed and market launched the Pocket Diagnostic range of in-field tests for plant pathogens.

JCB Electromecánica

JCB is a company based in Spain and specialized in the design, development and supply of specialized electronics, control, automation and mechanical equipment for the industry.
Since 2001, we have provided on-demand engineering solutions to small and medium companies. These solutions, which are completely flexible and easily upgraded, have been designed to adapt and evolve to suit the scope and the necessities of each company.
Our strategy focuses on extending their engineering services to the production and commercialization of high added value innovative technology products in sectors like telecommunications, biotechnology and electronics. Also, we are currently deploying an internalization plan to provide standard and custom products and engineering services all around Europe by means of a direct sales internet platform.

ATEKNEA – Ateknea Solutions

Ateknea Solutions brings together four research and innovation companies operating at a European level for over 15 years. The group will pool the expertise and know-how of more than 130 professionals working in Catalonia, Hungary, Malta and Poland. Its goal is to gain faster access to new sectors and markets, and to innovate within a cosmopolitan and technologically advanced context. Ateknea Solutions aims to assist European SMEs in transforming their innovative ideas into marketable products and services crucial for their success. Ateknea offers tailor-made services for innovation, with expertise covering a wide range of engineering and scientific areas.

Fera – The Food and Environment Research Agency

The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) is an executive agency of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. It has a turnover of circa 72M € per annum and employs 900 staff. Fera aims to apply science in protection of food chain safety and environmental health and specialises in risk assessment, development of sustainable environmental solutions and responding to emergencies. The Plant Protection Programme numbers over 160 staff and specialises in R&D, risk assessment and diagnostic testing for statutory plant pests and diseases. FERA has pioneered the use of molecular techniques for the routine testing of quarantine plant pathogens in support of statutory policy aims.

Prime Diagnostics

Wageningen UR’s Prime Diagnostics is a world leader in the development and manufacturing of high quality reagents and systems for specific detection and identification of plant pathogens. With our products we support the diagnosis of plant health in seeds, breeding and propagation material and governmental programs to monitor impending risks of plant diseases. Prime Diagnostics is a strategic partner in the assurance of plant health for the industry.

Our products comprise: high-quality serological and molecular reagents for detection of more than 120 different plant pathogenic fungi, bacteria, viruses and viroids. Prime Diagnostics’ products can be applied in single or multiplex format for on-site or lab-based detection of key pathogens in potato, vegetables, ornamental and fruit crops. Services and consultancy in quality assurance. Products of Prime Diagnostics are distributed world-wide.

Torres

The Torres surname has been related to wine for more than three centuries, when the family planted the first vines in the Penedès. Since it was founded in 1870, Bodegas Torres has managed to combine tradition and innovation with the aim of leading the premium quality wine and brandy sector, always producing with the utmost respect for the environment. This family tradition has been scrupulously respected down through the centuries and the company has been passed down from father to son. Today the fourth generation of the family – President Miguel A. Torres and Vice-Presidents Juan M. Torres and Marimar Torres – are overseeing the steady transition to the fifth generation – represented by Arnau Torres – Rosselló, Mireia Torres -Maczassek, Cristina Torres and Miguel Torres – Maczassek, who most recently has taken up the role of General Manager of the company.

Right from the beginning, exports have been one of the main pillars of the company, and Torres wines can nowadays be found in more than 150 countries around the world. In Spain, Bodegas Torres has a range of vineyards in the following Denominations of Origin: Penedès, Conca de Barberà, Priorat, Jumilla and Costers del Segre; as well as wineries in Penedès, Priorat, Ribera del Duero, La Rioja and Rueda. Internationally Torres also has vineyards and wineries in Chile /Valle Central and California /Russian River Valley (managed by Marimar Torres).

Torres has a turnover of about 215 million EUR (2011) and owns 2,272 hectares of vineyards, 1,800 of which are in Spain, 440 in Chile, 32 in California, and employs more than 1,300 people. Our most renowned “Single Vineyards” are Mas La Plana, Grans Muralles, Reserva Real, Perpetual, Fransola, Milmanda, Manso de Velasco (Chile), the Don Miguel and Doña Margarita Vineyards (California), and the Jean Leon winery which is managed by Mireia Torres – Maczassek, who combines this with running the Priorat winery.

Most of the Spanish Single Vineyard wines age in the relatively new Waltraud Cellar, named after the German wife of Miguel A. Torres – Waltraud Maczassek – who initiated and directed exports to Germany, which today is one of the most important markets. Today Waltraud Maczassek is the President of the Miguel Torres Foundation, which promotes social collaboration projects in order to encourage the conservation of the environment and the protection of children by building schools and homes.